A CD-ROM containing a computer program listing appendix has been submitted and is herein incorporated by reference. The CD-ROM contains a single ASII text file named xe2x80x9cbuy Dxe2x80x9d, created on Feb. 19, 2003, 20,2 KB in size.
The present invention relates generally to robotic toys, and more particularly relates to an animatronic, radio-controlled walking robotic toy.
While the 1980""s were considered the decade of the computer, and the 1990""s were the decade of the internet, it has been predicted that the first decade of the new millennium will be the decade of robots. Robots are being used to mow lawns, vacuum clean houses, deliver mail and other inter office communications in large corporations, as well as many other uses. Of course, robotics and automated manufacturing systems have been in place for decades as their cost became justified. However, robots for everyday entertainment and home consumption have generally been too expensive.
Regardless of their cost, however, the Sony robotic dog, priced at approximately $2,000, has received more orders than Sony Corporation can manufacture. As these are times of great personal wealth, the children of the wealthy individuals have toys available to them, such as the Sony dog, which are unaffordable for most middle-class families. Furthermore, general interest in toy robots is at an all time high, as indicated by the television show xe2x80x9cBattlebotsxe2x80x9d which is listed as a xe2x80x9csportxe2x80x9d on the Comedy Central cable television channel. Radio-controlled toys, including airplanes, trains, cars and the like, are more popular than ever. Hobby shops are being frequented not only by children, but by adults looking for entertainment. Parents would love to buy xe2x80x9cLittle Johnniexe2x80x9d a nice radio-controlled robot toy for Christmas, but it has been too expensive.
Consequently, there is a market for a radio-controlled robotic toy which is less expensive than the Sony dog and more on the order of a radio-controlled car or airplane. There has been a long felt need for a moderately priced robotic toy for children in middle-income families. It would be advantageous for this robotic toy to be nearly indestructible, as well as being able to receive various outer body shells which can change the appearance of the robot without having to change the motor-driven body or its electronics.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide an inexpensive, effective, durable robotic toy which is useful in these arts.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a robotic toy which is adapted for receiving various outer body shells to portray various insects, animals, winged demons, dinosaurs, and the like.
Therefore, in accordance with the objects and advantages listed above, and in achieving those objects, the present invention discloses a walking robotic toy which includes a radio-controlled electrically driven motor within a chassis, a transmission therein coupled to a drive wheel assembly, and at least two motor-driven middle legs and at least two pivotal corner legs, both being attached to drive mechanisms. In one of the preferred embodiments, a robotic head is also included, said head having at least one servo motor attached to a gear assembly for activating movable components, such as teeth clenching, jaw pinching, head up-and-down movement, and head side-to-side movement. Further, in the preferred embodiment, the invention includes a six-legged walking animatronic toy, powered by a rechargeable battery, and controlled via a radio-controlled transmitter and receiver pair.
Interchangeable outer body shells depicting various animals and insects may be clipped or easily attached to the top of the robot toy chassis. These shells may be made of rigid plastic materials, or of soft rubber-like materials for depicting various animals, including dinosaurs and the like. Furthermore, the shell may be a three-dimensionally blow-molded material having hard and soft portions for attachment and movement, wherein the hard portions may be attached to the chassis, while the soft portions may receive and cover mechanical components for depicting, for example, a dinosaur with a long neck. The servo motors attached to the legs to engage and cause movement are controlled by a standard transmitter/receiver pair interfaced with control electronics. The servo interface from the receiver includes inputs to a printed circuit board for controlling the individual motors attached to the various legs. A printed circuit board receives input information from the first and second servo motors, and controls individual movements via pulse width modulation position signals. Through this mechanism, the control electronics decode the servo signals and generate proportional direction control for the individual motors in communication with the various legs.
Computer software for the motor control input is disclosed in detail further herein below. Servo control and parameters can be mixed for all four quadrants through the computer software. Software for controlling the individual leg movements on both port and starboard sides of the chassis are further described.
Therefore, in accordance with the present invention, an inexpensive, effective and durable robotic toy has been disclosed and claimed which meets or exceeds all of the objects and advantages desired as detailed above.